The Online Reflector

“She’s an airhead.” “I bombed that test.” “Don’t be a chicken.”

Every day, we use countless slang terms to communicate with the people around us.

We know these phrases like the backs of our hands and use them without a second thought.

Words and terms come in and out of fashion every year, and we pick them up and drop them just as easily as we hold conversations.

But where do all these words and terms come from?

True, there are those people who find a new way to describe something and simply repeat it until the people around them pick it up, but what is the true origin of slang?

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of slang is “an informal nonstandard vocabulary typically composed of coinages, arbitrarily changed words and extravagant, forced or facetious figures of speech.”

Basically slang is something we make up to describe things. But do we ever pause and think what the literal meanings of these words and phrases are? Sure, it is funny to think of air being in someone’s head, or a test blowing up or even somebody looking like a chicken.

But what about when you say “that’s retarded” or “that’s gay”?

While there are slang terms that are harmless and fun, there are also those that are highly offensive, distasteful and insulting.

It is crude and irresponsible to use terms that directly offend or make fun of homosexuals or the developmentally disabled.

As college students, we represent a powerful force in the development of the English language and American slang.

Many of the new and popular terms that emerge come directly from us. This being said, we should also use that power to phase out the phrases that should not exist in the first place.

Saying “that’s gay” and “that’s retarded” is demeaning and ignorant. When these things are said, individuals and the people who love them are hurt.

When something is called “gay,” a person nearby may have a homosexual best friend, or when a situation is called “retarded,” someone within hearing distance could have a brother with Down syndrome. This offense is not worth the laughter derived from these terms.

March is National Mental Retardation Awareness Month. Part of awareness is recognizing the little things we do every day that could make a big difference in the lives of those we unintentionally insult.

In honor of National Mental Retardation Awareness Month, UIndy students need to make an effort to stop using offensive slang in everyday language. It simply is unnecessary and does not merit a place in our conversations.

March 2 was Spread the Word to End the Word day. The Best Buddies group on campus handed out free T-shirts to any student who signed a banner, pledging to stop using the “r-word” in a derogatory way and replacing it with a “new r-word,” respect.

Best Buddies had a table in Schwitzer Student Center from 11 a.m. -1 p.m. on Feb. 28-March 4 for those who wanted to make their pledge.

R-word.org is a website dedicated to ending the use of the ”r-word” with the slogan “spread the word to end the word.”
On this website, people from all around the world have pledged to eliminate the demeaning use of the “r-word” in their lives.

The site also features celebrities who have pledged and their stories for why they have chosen to eliminate the demeaning use of the “r-word” in their lives.

If you want to be involved, visit r-word.org and sign the pledge. The website also provides ideas on how to take action in your community to further the cause.